A controversial display of Baphomet – a half-goat, half-man deity and symbol of the Satanic Temple – that had been placed in front of the New Hampshire Statehouse in Concord was replaced on December 16 after it was vandalized earlier in the month.The display was initially erected in opposition to a Nativity scene and Christmas tree also in front of the statehouse. The Concord city government allowed the satanic display in an effort to avoid any litigation or challenge from the Satanic Temple under religious freedom and First Amendment protections.A statement from the city said: “After reviewing its legal options, the city ultimately decided to continue the policy of allowing unattended displays at City Plaza during this holiday season.”On December 7, the mannequin wearing robes and a goat mask was dismembered, and a tablet engraved with the seven fundamental tenets of the Satanic Temple was smashed.The display had been met with criticism both locally and nationally, according to local reports. Concord Mayor Byron Champlin, who was critical of the display in an interview with The Boston Globe earlier last week, also condemned the destruction, calling it an “illegal act of vandalism.”A new display was erected by the Satanic Temple on Monday, December 16, continuing the saga.The New Hampshire Journal quoted Cornerstone, a New Hampshire Christian advocacy organization, as saying that the Satanic Temple has “no religious belief in any Satan figure” but are “atheist feminists who use Satanic imagery as a legal tactic.” The publication said their beliefs are similar to those of Unitarians. Credit: The Satanic Temple/Opheus Gaur/Ellen Read via Storyful